Railway braking apparatus



Jan. 28, 1930. w. c. McWHlRTER RAILWAY BRAKING APPARATUS Filed April 29, 1927 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 5 a 6 m 9 D m am W w I 6 W 6 m 5 w 6 a 5 w w 5 6%., G 5.. 0 WM E INVENTOR V). C. Ma Wh/i'tcr,

Jan. 28, 1930. w. c. McWHlRTER 1,744,333

RAILWAY BRAKING APPARATUS Filed April 29, 1927 $5 Sheets-Shem, 3

INVENTORZ W.C.McWhfrtr 7 flax-W a J L KL NN v E Q\ o 5E mm mm \j. IL. 1 1 IL Patented Jan. 28, 1930 STATES PATNT OFFICE \VILLIAM G. McWI-IIRTER, F WILKENSBURG, PENNSYLVANIA, ASSIGNOR'TO THE UNION SWITCH & SIGNAL COMPANY, OF SW'ISSVALE,

PENNSYLVANIA Application filed April 29,

My invention relates to railway braking apparatus, and particularly to apparatus of the type comprising braking bars located in the trackway adjacent a track rail and arranged to be moved at times. into engagement with a part of a railway vehicle.

I will describe one form of railway braking apparatus embodying my invention, and will then point out the novel features thereof in claims.

In the accompanying drawings, Fig. 1 is a top plan view showing one form of railway braking apparatus embodying my invention. F 2 is a sectional *iew along line II-H of F 1. Fig. 3 is a sectional View along the line THIII of Fig. 1. Fig. 4 is a bottom view showing a portion of one of the braking bars. Fig. 5 is a top view of a portion of one o'" the driving bars together with the driver To associated therewith. Fig. 6 is a vertical lcngitudinal sectional view of one of the fixed abutments D and the resilient link G associated therewith. Fig. 7 is a top plan view of one of the stationary bearing members. Fig. 8 is a bottom view of one of the pivot posts 21. Figs. 9 and 10 are views showing in top plan and elevation, respectively, a portion of th apparatus illustrated in Fig. 1.

Similar reference characters refer tosimilar parts in each of the several views.

Ref rring first to Figs. 1, 2 and 3, the reference characters 1 and 1 designate the track rails of a stretch of railway track supported by cross ties 2 in theusual manner. Each cross tie is provided with two spaced plates 14 and 14 which are securely fastened to the ties for the purpose of affording a solid foundation for the braking apparatus. Associated with rail 1 are two flat driving bars and 4 located on opposite sides of the rail nd extending paralleltherewith. As best shown in Fig. 3 certain of the tie plates 14 are provided with guides 13 for the driving bars 3 and 4, thereby permitting longitudinal motion of these bars. but preventing displacement of the bars in directions at right angles to the rails. In similar manner rail 1 is provided with two driving bars 3 and 4 located on opposite sides of the track rail and mov- P CO PENNSYLVANIA, A CORPORATION OF RAILWAY BRAKING APPARATUS 1927. Serial No. 187,525.

able longitudinally in guides 13 on the tie plates 14 The reference character M designates a motor device for actuating the driving bars, and in the form here shown this device comprises a cylinder 24 containing a reciprocable piston 25 driving a rod 26 is connected with a lever 28 through a link 27, the pivotally attached to a fulcrum bar 29. The fulcrum bar 29 is supported by two bell cranks 31 and 32 which are in turn pivotally mounted between parallel fixed strips 90 carried by the ties 2. is supported by two bell cranks 34 and 35 which are also pivoted between the parallel strips 90. A lever 37 has one end pivotally attached to the fulcrum bar 36 and has its piston rod 26. The piston opposite end of the lever 28 being A second fulcrum bar 36 other end pivotallv connected with the cylinder 24 by means of a link 38. A floating link 39 provided with a turnbuckle 40, connects cranks 45 and 46, respectively. In'similar manner, operating rods 47 and 50', driven by bell cranks 34'and 35 respectively, are con nected with driving bars 4 and 4 respectively, through bell cranks 48 and 49, and with driving bars 3 and 3 through bell cranks 51 and 52.

Associated with rail 1 are two braking bars B andC located on opposite sidesof the rail, and associatedwlth rail 1 are two braking bars B and C. art-iculated,and as here shown is made up of three separate sections each designated by the reference character 6 and each provided at one end with a tongue 10 which enters a jaw 11 in the confronting end of the tion 6. (See Figs. 2, 9, and 10.) By means of a pin 12, each tongue 10 is pivotally connected with the adjacent jaw so that with this articulated construction a car wheel will not bind or jam in passing from one section of the braking bar to the next section. Each of the Each of thebraking bars is adjacent secsections 6 is provided with a replaceable braking shoe 7 which shoes are arranged to engage the sides of the wheels of a vehicle travelling through the braking apparatus when the braking bars are urged toward the rail. As here shown the sections of the braking bars are L-shaped in cross-section, thereby overcoming the tendency of the braking reaction to tip or overturn the bar, and resulting in a minimum of stresses on the parts connected with the braking bars. The braking apparatus here shown is particularly suitable for the control of vehicles moving from right to left as viewed in Fig. 1.

Each of the braking bars rests directly on the top of one of the driving bars actuated by motor device M, and each driving bar is provided with means for engaging the associated braking bar and moving it in a direc tion parallel to the track rails. Figs. 2, 4, 5, 9 and 1() illustrate the operating connection between the driving bar i and one section 6 of the braking bar C controlled thereby. It will be seen that a lug 92 is riveted to the upper face of the driving bar i. This lug is provided with a lip 73 which enters a recess 91 formed on the under face of the braking bar as best seen in Fig. 2, thereby preventing vertical displacement of the braking bar. The opposite end of the lug 92 is provided with a semi-circular socket 7 at which receives the rounded end 76 of a flat driver 75 resting on the driving bar 4. The lower face of the braking bar is provided with a semi-circular socket 170, as best shown in Fig. 4, and this socket 170 receives the rounded end 77 of driver 75. \Vhen the parts are assembled, the driver 75 extends from socket 170 in the braking bar to the socket 74 in the lug 92 attached to the driving bar. hen the driving bar is moved toward the right, as will be explained hereinafter, this motion is transmitted to the braking bar through the driver 7 5.

Adjacent each braking bar is aseries of abutments each designated by the reference character D which abutments are located at intervals along the length of the retarding apparatus. Each section 6 of each braking bar is pivotally connected with a plurality of the abutments D through resilient links Gr.

Referring to Figs. 6, 7 and 8, each abutment D comprises a hollow stationary member 17 provided with two semicylindrical bearing surfaces 19 and 19 separated by vertically extending flutes 20 and 20. Journalled in member 17 is a pivot post 21 comprising a shank 22 having outstanding looking wings 23 and 23 adapted to hold the pivot post against vertical displacement by engaging shoulders formed on the lower sides of the bearing surfaces 19 and 19. The pivot post 21 may be inserted in or removed from the stationary bearing member 17 by rotating it about its vertical axis so that the locking wings 23 and 23 may pass freely through the flutes 20 and 20 The shank 22 of the post 21 is preferably provided with a bearing ring 69 of anti-friction material. The head of the pivot post 21 is provided with two aligned holes 60 and 61. A bushing 62 is inserted in the hole 60 and is interiorly threaded to receive an adjusting nut 63. A bushing 66 is inserted in the hole 61. The resilient link G comprises a bolt 64; having a radially extending stop 68 and a shank 64 which passes freely through the adjusting nut 63 and is threaded into the bushing 66. A volute spring 67 is located on the bolt 6i between the stop 68 and the adjusting nut 63. The tension of this spring is adjusted by rotation of the adjusting nut 63. The position of the bolt 64 with respect to the post D may be adjusted by nut 66. The parts are locked in their adjusted position by a locking nut 66 threaded on the tip 65 of the bolt 64. The free end of each bolt (it is provided with a hole 64: to accommodate a pin 16 pivoted in the adjacent section 6 of a brake bar. It will be seen that with this arrangement the spring 67 of each of the resilient links G urges the associated bolt 6% away from the associated abutment D. The links are so proportioned and arranged that they are substantially parallel and are disposed at angles with the rails when the braking bars are in their retracted or non-braking positions. The proper spacing of the abi'itments D is accomplished by means of spacing strips 7 0 which are rigidly fastened to the ties and extend throughout the length of the braking apparatus. The spacing strips 70 are provided at intervals with circular dowels 71 each fastened rigidly in place by a bolt 96. (See Fig. 6.) The lower part of each of the stationary bearing members 17 is provided with a circular opening 18 adapted to rece ve one of the dowels 71, thereby accurately positioning the member 17. Each of the stationary bearing members 17 is rigidly secured in: its proper position by bolts 72. (See Figs. 1, 6 and 7.)

When fluid pressure is admitted to the righthand end of cylinder 24 through pipe 55 the piston 25 occupies its left-hand position, and the parts then occupy the positions in which they are illustrated in the drawing. It will be apparent that with the parts in these positions, the braking bars B, C. B and C are retracted from the rails so that the braking apparatus occupies its ineffective or non-braking position.

If, however, fluid pressure is admitted to pipe 56 to drive piston 25 toward the right, the forces exerted on levers 28 and 37 move the fulcrum bar 29 to the left and move the fulcrum bar 36 to the right as viewed in Fig. 1. This movement of bar 29 moves the operating rod ll downwardly and this motion is transmitted to the driving bars 3 and 3 to fulcrum bar 36 toward the amount of braking urge these bars toward the right. At the same time movement of fulcrum bar 29 is transmitted through bell'crank 32 to the operating rod 44, moving this rod downwardly and urging the driving bars 4 and 4? to the right by virtue of the rotation of bell cranks and 46. Furthermore the movement of the right is transmitted through bell crank 34, rod 47 and bell cranks48 and 49 to driving bars 4 and 4 and through bell crank 35, driving rod 50 and bell cranks 51 and 52 to driving bars 3 and 3*. It follows that when fluid pressure is supplied to pipe 56 to operate the motor device M, the driving bars 3, 4, 3 and 4 are all urged to'the right as .viewed in Fig. 1. This motion of the driving bars is transmitted to the various sections 6 of the'braking bars through the lugs 72 and drivers'75 as has been explained hereinbefore. The braking bars are thereforecarried to the right with the driving bars. During this motion of the braking bars, however, the resilient links G rotate into positions more nearly at right angles to the rails, thereby urging the braking bars toward the track rails, bars B and B moving downwardly and bars C and C moving upwardly as viewed in Fig. 1. It should be pointed out that this motion of the braking bars with respect to the associated driving bars is permitted by the drivers 75, although theseparts do not permit relative motion of the driving bars and the braking bars in a direction parallel with the track rails. When the braking bars are urged toward the track rails in the manner just described the shoes 7 engage the sides of the wheels of a railway vehicle occupying the rails 1 and 1, thereby retarding the vehicle.

When fluid pressure is again supplied to pipe to return the piston 25 to its left-hand position the motions of the various links and levers are reversed, so that this operation of the motor device again moves the braking bars to their non-braking positions and re stores the apparatus to the condition in which it is illustrated in the drawing. The energy necessary to restore the apparatus to its nonbraking position is considerably less than that required to cause the braking apparatus to retard the motion of a vehicle passing through the'apparatus, and the braking bars can be restored from their braking positions toward the left, as viewed in Fig. 1, simply by engagement of one of the lugs 92 with the underside of the braking bar. The right hand drivers 75 (Figs. 1 and 2) may, therefore, be omitted in the connection between each braking bar section 6 and the associated driving bar.

Attention should be called to the fact that pressure exerted upon the wheels of a passing vehicle may be regulated by the tension of the springs 67 which comprise the sole connection between the opbar, and means for connecting the abutment with the erating mechanism and the braking bars when the bars are being urged against a ve hicle wheel. Furthermore, the articulate construction of the braking bars permits the continuous braking all ofthe wheels of a vehicle passing through the entire length of the retarder.

Adjustment of the entire apparatus to compensate for wear may be made by the turnbuckle 40, and individual sections of the braking bar may be separately adjusted by manipulation of the nuts 66 on the bolts 64 associatedwith such section.

Since the bell cranks 35, 34, 31 and 32 are all supported by that the reaction of bell cranks 35 and 34 balances the reaction of bell cranks 31 and 32, so that no unbalanced stresses are applied to the trackway by these members.

It will be observed that the tie plates 14 and 14 which provide a foundation for the retarding apparatus, are discontinuous, so that these plates do not form an electric circuit between the two track rails. The only other connections between the track rails are the driving rods 44, 41, 47 and 50, and I prefer to insert an insulated joint 53 in each of these driving rods to completely insulate the apparatus associated with one rail from the apparatus associated with the other rail. One advantage of this construction is that the usual and well known form of track circuits may be carried directly through the portion of track occupied by the braking apparatus without interfering with the usual and normal operation of such track circuits. Turn buckles 79 are also interposed in operating rods 47 and 50 to facilitate adjustment of the apparatus.

Although I have herein shown and described only one form ofapparatus'embodymg m invention it is understood that various changes and modifications may be made therein within the scope of the appended claims without departing from the spirit and scope of my invention.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim is: o

1. Railway braking apparatus comprising. an articulated braking bar located in the trackway, and means for at times urging the bar into engagement with a part of a railway I vehicle 2. Railway braking apparatus comprising an articulated braking bar made up of a plu rality of sections located in the't-rackway, a driving bar, means for actuating such driving operatively connect-ing each such section with the driving bar.

'3. Railway braking apparatus comprising a fixed abutment in the trackway, a driving bar located parallel with a track rail, means for imparting longitudinal movement to the driving bar, a braking bar, resilient means braking bar,

pressure to be applied to the same strips 90, it follows and means operatively connecting the driving bar with the braking bar and permitting movement of the braking bar with respect to the driving bar in a direction substantially at right angles to the rail but not in a direction parallel with the rail.

at. Railway braking apparatus comprising a braking bar made up of a plurality of articulated L-shaped sections. a single motor device. and means for separately connecting each said section with the motor.

5. Railway braking apparatus comprising a braking bar aade up of a plurality of aligned sections having adjae at ends pivoted together. a motor device, and means for operativel connecting each section with the motor device.

6. Railway braking apparatus comprising a driving bar located in the trackway, means for moving the driving bar in a direction parallel to a track rail, an upstanding lug on the driving bar, a braking bar located parallel with the track rail and having a transversely extending slot to receive the lug. a fixed abutment in the trackway, and a resilient link in terposed between the braking bar and the abutment.

7. A braking bar for railway braking appa ratus comprising two sections, a jaw on one section. a tongue on the other section entering the jaw, a pin for pivotally securing the tongue in the jaw, a motor device, and operating means interposed between each section and the motor device.

8. Railway braking apparatus comprising a braking bar located in the trackway parallel to a track rail, means for at times moving the bar in a direction parallel to the rail, a plurality of fixed abutments, a post journalled in each abutment, a plurality of bolts pivotally attached to the braking bar, and a spring interposed between each bolt and one of said posts.

9. In combination, a movable braking bar, a fixed abutment, a post provided with a hole and journalled in the abutment, a bolt having one end pivotally connected with the braking bar and entering said hole, and a spring interposed between the bolt and the post.

10. In combination a movable braking bar, a stationary bearing member located in the trackway and provided with semi-cylindrical surfaces separated by flutes, a post having a head and a cylindrical shank carrying locking wings entering said flutes when the shank of the post engages the bearing surfaces and eil'ective when such shank is 1'0- tated after insertion in the stationary hearing member to prevent removal of the post from the member, and resilient means connecting the head of the post with said braking bar.

11. Railway braking apparatus comprising a driving bar located in the trackway,

means for moving the driving bar in directions parallel with the track rail, a lug on the driving bar, a braking bar provided with a socket, a floating driver interposed between said lug and said socket. a fixed abutment in the trackway, and the abutment with the braking bar whereby the braking bar is urged toward a track rail when the driving bar is moved in one direction.

12. Railway braking apparatus comprising a movable braking bar, a spacing strip extending parallel with the rail and fixed in the trackway, a plurality of dowels located at intervals along the strip, a plurality of stationary bearing members each having a recess to receive one of said dowels, a post pivoted in each said bearing member, and a resilient link connecting each post with the braking bar.

13. Railway braking apparatus comprising a movable braking bar, a stationary hearing member located in the trackway, a 0st journalled in said member for rotation a out a vertical axis, a bushing in the post, an adjusting nut threaded in the bushing, a bolt pivotally attached to said braking bar and having a threaded end passing through the adjusting nut and the post, a nut on said threaded end of the bolt, a shoulder outstanding from the bolt, and a spring on the bolt between the shoulder and the adjusting nut.

14. Railway braking apparatus comprising a driving bar, located in the trackway, means for moving the driving bar in a direction parallel to a track rail, a lug on the driving bar having a semi-circular socket, a braking bar resting on the driving bar and provided with a recess to receive the lug and with a semi-circular socket, a floating driver having rounded ends entering the sockets in the lug and the braking bar respectively, a fixed abutment in the trackway, and a resilient link connecting the abutment with the braking bar.

In testimony whereof I IVILLIAM C.

afiix my signature. MCIVHIRTIJR.

a resilient link connecting 

